Jakarta – Parliamentary watchdog Forum of Concerned Citizens for Indonesia's Parliament (Formappi) researcher Lucius Karus considers it strange that the House of Representatives (DPR) has established a new House auxiliary body (AKD) named the "People's Aspiration Body".
"It seems weird, the name of the new agency that is to be formed by the DPR is the People's Aspiration Body. It can be said to be weird because as an institution the DPR should already be an institution of the people's aspirations", Karus told CNN Indonesia on Thursday October 10.
Karus is of the view that all the tasks and functions associated with the DPR must be based on the aspirations and struggles of the people. He considers that there will be confusion if the DPR forms its own institution to deal with the people's aspirations.
"Later it will be pointless if there is a special body and the DPR doesn't want to open itself up to the people and does not want to involve the people. This aspiration body will only become a gimmick. As if the DPR cares about aspirations, when it turns out they just don't care", he said.
Lucius considers that there is no critical juncture at the DPR to form a people's aspiration body like this if all the House's auxiliary bodies are working for and on behalf of the people's aspirations.
He sees that so far many of the people's aspirations have not been fought for by the DPR. This has happened not because the people did not express their aspirations, but because the DPR was busy responding to the aspirations of the government instead.
"It's like the DPR has fenced itself off so it's difficult to visit for people who want to convey their aspirations. The DPR is extremely hard to find, yet those coming there are the people who go there themselves", he said.
Lucius gave the example of when the DPR had formed a new body, the State Financial Accountability Body (BAKN) in 2020. The body however remains unclear.
"This BAKN should also be dissolved. More bodies doesn't guarantee that the work of the DPR will be more effective. The one that exists is wasteful of the budget", he said.
Earlier, House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad from president-elect Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) revealed that the DPR has established a new AKD named the People's Aspirations Body for the 2024-2029 period.
Ahmad also confirmed that the number of commissions in the DPR will increase from the current 11. He said that the number of new commissions and AKD are planned to be announced on October 14 (rzr/fra)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Formappi Kritik DPR Bentuk 'Badan Aspirasi': Cuma Gimik Seolah Peduli".]
